Action Alert

Wind River Threatened by Roads for Uranium Mining Exploration

Uranium Mining in the Yukon?
Environmental Impacts and Human Health

Map of Proposed Wernecke Winter Road Access Project and Landing Strips in the Peel Watershed Click to download detailed map. (Acrobat [PDF] file, ~435K)

Why should we be concerned about uranium mining in the Yukon?

Uranium is a radioactive metal that is very hazardous to human health and the environment. As many as 12 companies are exploring for uranium in the Yukon, with large blocks of claims staked in the Peel watershed wilderness by Cash Minerals. Some of these sites are at a fairly advanced stage of exploration and testing. See www.cashminerals.com/main/?projects

The environmental impacts of uranium mining and milling are severe. During active mining, large amounts of air contaminated with radioactive radon gas and dust are blown into the open air, and large amounts of contaminated water are treated and released. Long-term mining and milling impacts include the creation of huge stockpiles of radioactive and toxic waste rock and tailings. Radioactive and toxic pollutants cause serious poisoning of streams, lakes and groundwater.

Radon gas, radioactive dust, and contaminated water have caused high levels of cancers in mine workers and nearby communities. Contaminants enter the food chain through air, water and dust, creating a very long-term environmental and human health hazard. Uranium mining operations in Canada and worldwide have a poor record of mine clean-up and worker compensation.

The processing and end use of uranium are also highly controversial due to safety concerns and contamination from processing and nuclear and depleted uranium weapons, as well as the lack of any accepted safe disposal of nuclear fuel wastes.

What are the potential impacts of exploring for uranium?

Advanced stages of uranium mine exploration, drilling and testing can result in water and air contamination by radioactive waste materials. Saskatchewan’s drilling guidelines for uranium include things like capping drill holes and taking extra care with drilling muds, core samples, and waste rock. What environmental monitoring is done at Yukon uranium exploration sites?

Even a large bulk sample program or a test mine will not require a federal uranium licence and in most cases no environmental assessment. The most severe environmental and human health impacts begin once the mining starts and continue long after the mine has shut down.

How can uranium mining affect the environment?

Once mined, the uranium ore is trucked or pumped as slurry to the mill. At the mill, the ore is ground and mixed in either a highly acidic or alkaline solution to extract the uranium. The uranium is concentrated and dried into uranium oxides called “yellowcake.” Wastes left by the milling process consist of ground rock particles, water, mill chemicals, and radioactive and other hazardous contaminants, such as heavy metals. After milling, there is a risk of environmental contamination when trucks transport the milled uranium for further processing into nuclear fuel.

The greatest risks to the environment are:

• contamination of ground water and river systems with radioactive materials as well as heavy metals, acids, ammonia and salts;
• leaks, spills, and catastrophic failures of pipelines and tailings ponds;
• the spreading of radioactive dust, which finds its way into water, plants, animals, fish and humans;
• releases of radon gas into the air, which will deposit radioactive fall-out on the ground for hun-dreds of miles around.

The natural environment and wildlife near existing uranium mines and mills have been contaminated with radioactive waste, particularly through wind-blown dust from tailings sites, and liquid waste discharges to streams and rivers. Studies show that severe contamination of groundwater with radioactive waste, heavy metals, and other contaminants has occurred at many tailings and waste rock storage areas. See www.wise-uranium.org.

Many failures of uranium tailings dams have occurred worldwide. For example, in 1984 at Key Lake, Saskatchewan, there was a spill of more than 100 million litres of contaminated liquid. Uranium mines and tailings release radon gas into the atmosphere. The radon, which is heavier than air, follows the winds, depositing radioactive fallout over large areas as it decays. Since there is no way to make the wastes from uranium mining harmless, management of these wastes can only try to contain the poisons and prevent their spread into the environment. The goal is to stop the release of radon gas and radiation, the wind erosion of contaminated material, and the release of radioactive waste to streams, lakes and groundwater, which could end up contaminating community water supplies, aquatic life, and wildlife.

Radioactive hazards will continue for thousands of years. Tailings hazards will probably get worse as time goes on because of erosion, neglect and climatic change. Canada does not yet have detailed laws requiring mining companies to remove or cover mine wastes and mill tailings. In most cases, there is no requirement to fence in the abandoned radioactive material or post signs to warn people that it is dangerous.

How can uranium mining affect human health and communities?

Radionuclides (such as uranium), radon gas, heavy metals and small particles are released from open pit mining operations, underground mine ventilation systems, waste rock and tailings storage areas. Uranium milling is also a significant source of air pollution. The radioactive deposits enter the food chain, and pose a health risk to the population - especially children. Contamination of groundwater or lakes can make community drinking water unusable.

For local people, a major concern is indirect radiation exposure through eating wildlife that has been exposed to radioactive contaminants. These contaminants enter the food chain as dust or spills, leaks, and effluent from uranium mines and mills. The airborne radioactive fall-out concentrates in lichens that are then eaten by caribou, which are in turn eaten by people. Anybody eating the meat from contaminated animals will get the radioactive material inside his or her own body.

This is one of the most serious threats to the health of those living in the area of uranium mining operations. A recent Canadian study concluded that the consumption of caribou living near a uranium mine increased the chance of developing cancers to a rate of 6 cancers per 1,000 people. This far exceeds the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency range of acceptable cancer risks of 1 in 10,000 to 1 in 1,000,000. Workers at uranium mines and mills typically receive annual radiation doses higher than those considered acceptable for members of the public.

What are First Nations and communities in Canada saying about uranium mining?

The impacts of uranium mining have been so severe, that many places around the world have banned new uranium mines. Nunavut has had a moratorium on uranium mining, and Nova Scotia and BC have imposed similar moratoriums. Today many First Nations and public organizations are opposing proposed uranium projects in Québec and Ontario. In the N.W.T., the community of Lutsel K'e has rejected uranium mining on its lands.

In 2007, the Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board rejected a uranium exploration project because it threatens the spiritual and cultural well-being of the area’s Dene people. The Board said the mining company plan to drill up to 20 holes near the Thelon River should not proceed under any circumstances.

On the Navajo Nation lands, hundreds of abandoned mines have not been cleaned up and present environmental and health risks in many Navajo communities. In April 2005, the Navajo Nation banned uranium mining and processing on all of its tribal lands.

A Dene news release in 1998 said:
We, the Sahtugot'ine (the Dene of Great Bear Lake) have been subjected to and continue to suffer from a grave injustice imposed on us by the Canadian government. Without being told of the deadly hazards of radiation, our men carried radioactive ore and our families and children have been exposed to radiation for over 60 years. We are concerned, in particular, about: The deaths of our community members from cancer and other radiation and mining related diseases and the psychological and social impact these deaths of have had on us; and, the presence of millions of tons of radioactive waste in our Great Bear Lake environment, which we regard as our source of food and spiritual nourishment …

Complete uranium information at:
www.wise-uranium.org
www.pembina.org

(This summary prepared by CPAWS-Yukon using information and text adapted from the above sources.)